Mehmet ARGUN, Semra ACER, Mustafa Kaan KAYA, Ahmi ÖZ, Ömer ÇELİK
Archives of Current Medical Research - 2026;7(2):408-417
Background: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects of Harpagophytum procumbens on human adult retina pigment epithelium cells (ARPE-19) under oxidative stress conditions Methods: ARPE-19 cells were cultured under standard conditions and divided into four groups including (I) control (untreated), (II) hydrogen peroxide (H?O?), (III) Harpagophytum procumbens, and (IV) H?O? + Harpagophytum procumbens. ARPE-19 cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative damage. The effects of Harpagophytum procumbens extract were assessed by measuring tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), 8-hydroxy-2?-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), and apoptotic activity. Results: Treatment with Harpagophytum procumbens significantly reduced pro-inflammatory (TNF-alpha), pro-angiogenic (VEGF-A), and oxidative DNA damage markers (8-OHdG, PARP-1), while also attenuating apoptosis in stressed ARPE-19 cells (p<0.001). Conclusions: To our knowledge this study is the first to demonstrate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-apoptotic effects of Harpagophytum procumbens on ARPE-19 cells, suggesting its potential as a complementary therapy for retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in which oxidative stress, inflammation, and neovascularization play key pathogenic roles.
